Balance-rail pin for pianos.



G. H. LAWRENCE.

BALANCE RAIL PIN FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1914.

1,1 18,939, Patented Dec. 1,1914

af/orney.

GEORGE Hi. LAWRENCE. OF NEW YORK. N. Y.

BALANCE-RAIL PIN FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Application filed April 7, 1914. Serial No. 830.151.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States of America. residing at New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Balance-Rail Pins for Pianos, oi

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for regulating the touch of keys of musical instruments, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide means for accomplishing the leveling of the keys and the changing of the depth of touch of the keys without removing any part of the action of the instrument or the key from its key pin.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means for reliably anchoring the key ins against lateral displacement in the iialance rail and for facilitating the bending of the upper ends of the ey pins if desired, for securing the more perfect adjustment of the keys.

Other objects of the invention are to provide suitable, practical and efiicient means for regulating the touch of such keys as piano keys. 7

- These being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a suitable embodiment of the invention, and in which-- Figure l is a side elevation of a piano key frame and two keys equipped with my improvement; Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken section taken vertically through a plane coincident with the axis of a key pin; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the improved key pin.

Referrin to the drawings, the key frame 10 is provlded with the customary or any suitable balance rail 11. Two keys 1'2, 1-3, are shown in Fig. 1, 12 indicating a white key and 13 a black key.

The improved key pin 1% is constructed as follows: It is provided with a stem or shank 15 upon which is located an integral or soldered or screwed-on washer or annular flange 16, said pin being pointedrat 17. Between the point 17 and the washer or flange 16, the pin is screw-threaded at 18, and the upper end of the pin is preferably squared as at 19 to receive a key for turning said pin. The screw-threaded portion is much shorter than the remaining portion of the key-pin because that part only is to be screwed into the balance rail. The washer or flange 16 of each key pin is received in a corresponding circular socket or recess 20 which is formed in the upper surface of the balance rail 11.

In practice the screw-threaded pointed ends of the key-pins are screwed into the balance-rail in the usual position, and the annular washers or flanges are caused to enter the sockets or recesses such as 20, in which the washers or flanges are received with a snug fit. so as to permit of no lateral movement of that portion of the pin. In this way each pin is securely and reliably anchored in the balance-rail, and if for any reason it be desired to adjust the angularity of the pins or any oi them with respect to the balance-rail, the pin can be bent one Way or the other without changing the position of its seat in the balance-rail.

The keys are provided in the usual way with openings 21 to receive the key pins.

Inasmuch as the washers or flanges l6 normally project but little above the upper surface of the balance-rail, the normal spacing between the keys and the balance rail is furnished in the usual manner by felt washers such as 22.

It will be seen that when the piano tuner desires to level up the keys or change the depth of touch. it is only necessary to apply a key to the upper end of each pin 15 and adjust the height of the washer or flange 16 on the key pin by turning the same in one or the other direction, depending upon whether a key is to be elevated or lowered.

What I claim as new is:-

l. The combination with the balance rail of a piano. ot a series of screw-threaded key pivot-pins screwed therein, said. rail having a series of sockets, and said pins being provided with fixed annular Washers or flanges corresponding in size with said sockets and fitting snugly in said sockets so as to add lateral resistance to said pins.

2. The combination with the balance-rail of a piano provided with a series of circular ting snugly in and being normally located sockets in its upper side, a series of key in said sockets, and means at the upper ends pivot-pins having pointed lower ends and of said pins for turning them. 1 p a being screw-threaded to screw into the rail, "GEORGE'H.TJAWRENCE. 5 below said sockets, annular washers o1- Witnesses:

flanges fixed on said pins above their said GEO. L. WHEELOGK, pointed and screw-threaded ends and fit- I 4 BEAIRJCE MIRVIS. 

